Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Starks was shot and killed in revenge for the shooting of a suspect in April 1875, almost 18 months earlier. The son of the suspect who had been killed swore revenge on the sheriff for the shooting.
The sheriff had retired from office and was in the process of selling his farm to move. A man came to the farm under the premise he was interested in buying it and then shot Sheriff Starks with a shotgun.
The suspect was arrested and confessed to being hired to murder Sheriff Starks by the son for a fee of $625. The suspect was sentenced to death but committed suicide before being executed.
Sheriff Starks had served as sheriff for 2 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and child.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-TX-AD4C2CDF- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
150 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Sheriff Starks gave the Rockwall County Sheriff's Office 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Rockwall community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff Alexander C. Starks is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Alexander C. Starks's cause is highlighted.
How Alexander C. Starks Compares
Offender Outcome
Committed suicide
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Alexander C. Starks is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Alexander C. Starks was killed by shotgun.